NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Legal Newsline) – A state senator in Tennessee is once again pushing for the election of the state’s attorney general.
Sen. Mae Beavers, R-Mount Juliet, in January reintroduced a bill — SJR 0063 — that would amend the Tennessee Constitution to allow for an election of the state’s top lawyer.
Beavers
Currently, the attorney general is appointed by the state Supreme Court.
In fact, Tennessee is the only state in the nation where the attorney general is selected by — and reports to — its highest court.
In more than 40 other states, attorneys general are elected by the people. In only five states, the attorney general is appointed by the governor. In Maine, state lawmakers elect the attorney general.
Beavers, which introduced similar legislation in 2012, argues that an attorney general elected by the people would be more answerable.
Opponents have argued the current system eliminates any political pressure.
Earlier this month, Beavers’ bill made it out of the Senate Judiciary Committee by a 6-3 vote.
It now heads to the Senate floor, where lawmakers will vote on the resolution.
From Legal Newsline: Reach Jessica Karmasek by email at [email protected].
